Four funerals and a Wedding
by Lady Perl of MoonLight Sea
Summary: This is Angst, Tragedy. Gaara has been Fifth Kazekage for a while now and wants an heir as fast he can and he has his eye on someone. Will Naruto find love. Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

Thank You wonderful generous Squibakou for being Beta, Love you!

_Gaara has been Fifth __Kazekage for a while now and wants an heir as fast he can- and he has his eye on someone._

**Four funnels and a Wedding**

The sky was clear and the evening bright as Kankuro and Temari sat in Gaara's study, deep in the heart of the Hidden Sand Village. The studious silence was broken by Gaara standing up from his desk, covered as it was with several large stacks of paper.

"As I am the Kazekage there is a high change of being killed, and therefore, I need an heir, the only problem being is I need a wife. Someone from an important clan."

"What about someone from the Hidden Leaf Village?" asked Temari in a wondering tone.

"What clan from the Leaf village has very good influences?" Gaara replyed with feigned interest.

"What about the Hyuga clan? It's the oldest and most powerful of the noble clans, Gaara," said Kankuro, "I think that Neji guy is from that clan."

Gaara started to pace up and down the room.

"He was fighting the quiet girl, what was her name…Hinata. Yes, her, she'll do. Quick- I wish to propose something to Lord Hyuga." Gaara smiled at this double entendre.

A lengthy hour later and Gaara had finished his letter. Kankuro was at the bar chatting up some of the girls there, using his favorite line: " I am the second most important man in this village, and I want to buy you a drink." Then he'd wink and the ladies would swoon and all would be well in his world.

"Damn you Sasuke! Why the hell did you have me leave Sakura?" Naruto cried out, hitting his hand off the table. It had been two and a half years since Sasuke had left the village, and Naruto remained stubbornly fixated on this, unable to forget. Where could he be…

Gaara called in Temari.

"Here, take that this to Lord Hyuga. I am making you ambassador; you can leave first thing in the morning." Gaara said whilst hand over the sealed envelope.

"Thank you," Temari replyed, stuffing it into a soft leather carrying bag, "I'll leave immediately."

Back in the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto sat on his bed, contemplating his missing friend - ex-friend. Wishing it had never happened, he had never left.

"Hey" came a whispering voice, like the softest breath.

Naruto spun round, startled. But nobody was there.

_M__ust__'ve__ be__en__ the wind, I__'d__ better close that window before its gets to__o__ cold_, Naruto thuoght to himself. He walked over to the window, but suddenly stopped, sensing someone else was in the room, he nervously searched the shadows with rapid darting eyes, grabbing a dagger out of his bag, he asked the emptiness, "Where the hell are you? Show your self!" yelled Naruto.

"Behind you, idiot," the voice replyed. You could here the hidden laughter.

"Sasuke… is that you?" Naruto said quietly in disbelief.

"Of course it's me." He was standing, half-hidden in the shadows of Naruto's room. Naruto stumbled in the dark, clumsily finding the lightswitch.

"Sasuke. Why?" Naruto stood there, blinking in the glare at his intruder, "you bastard. You left me."

"Naruto, please, believe me when I say I'm back for good now, please, forgive me, please," he walked up to Naruto and hugged him tightly, "please," he whispered in his ear. Naruto nodded, he could not deny the sincerity in his voice, blinded as he was by hope.

"I forgive you."

"Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke choked. They pulled apart.

"Hey Sasuke, lets go out and celebrate!" Naruto laughed with pure happiness.

" 'Sounds fun," Sasuke replyed, holding ou his hand, "where too?"

A few hours later Sasuke come staggering in, holding upright a giggling Naruto whilst attempting to entering the appartment. Naruto clutched a bottle of sake in his left hand and was swinging it back and forth in an erratic rhythm.

"You're totally pissed," Sasuke smirked.

He led Naruto to his bed, on which Naruto bounced with great enthusiasm, sloshing the contents of his bottle over the bedcovers. He took a big drink and placed the bottle with exagerated care on the dressing table.

Sasuke start to smile at Naruto's antics, "you know I really missed you when I went away." Naruto looked up at him, features flowing naturally from happy to serious. He stood uneasily, taking the few steps towards Sasuke.

"shhhh.. be quiet, its ok," he said reasuringly.

"No it isn't; I put you guys through hell worrying about me," Sasuke said, shaking his head emphatically. Naruto tentitavly reached up to put a hand on Sasuke's face.

"I can see why you were so popular with the girls."

"Naruto, you're drunk, stop it now." Sasuke pushed his hand away. "It's wrong, even that I…" Naruto broke him off with a stare, hypnotically drawing him in, closer and closer until they stood, their breath tingling the other's lips. Naruto's eyes fluttered, and he leaned forward ever so slightly, meeting Sasuke's lips in a sparkling, feather-light kiss. Sasuke felt his own lips respond, unbidden, and he blushed as the kiss deepened, their arms entwining, melding together, and their kiss becoming all the more passionate in the heat of the night.

Hope you enjoy it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

…

**Four funerals and a Wedding.**

Naruto squinted in confusion. It was morning, the sun pouring through cracks in the blinds in cutting strips of laser-like quality.

"Ugh, my head. What the hell happened last night?" Naruto sat up from his bed, rubbing his aching forehead. He glanced at the empty bottle on his dressing table.

"Oh yeah- now I remember," he groaned, then brightened, "Sasuke! Wake up!" Naruto said with a smile spread across his tired face. He turned with a bounce to face his lover's sleeping body. His eyes widened in horror.

"Blood," Naruto whispered, shaking. The white sheets were stained with the dark liquid, spread around Sasuke like a flower in bloom. He lay, throat sliced cleanly, with the precision and deadliness of a surgeon. There were numbers engraved in the flesh across his chest. Naruto froze as if made from ice. There was the slightest of noises, and Naruto turned, slowly, zombie-like to see Itachi Uchiha, standing formidable in the doorway, wiping blood from his sword.

"Good morning, Uzumaki" Itachi smirked at him.

"You bastard! Why… how could you kill your own brother?!" Naruto shouted at him in shock and rage. Itachi remained silent and unmoved, only gazed directly into Naruto's burning eyes. He moved suddenly, moments later, like a predator pouncing on its' prey, throwing a dagger that just missed Naruto's face, only grazing his cheek.

"Sasuke was sent to kill you. But instead he falls in love, and for this atrocity I have deigned to kill him."

Itachi pointed his sword at Naruto in a slow sweep. "Now, prepare to die." Naruto jumped out of the bed, flowing easily into a defensive stance, but before he had a chance to defend himself Itachi was standing over him, moving so fast the air rippled with power. Naruto, seeing the bottle on the dressing table, grabbed it and smashed it against the table. Before Itachi could swing his heavy weapon in its deadly path, Naruto crudely pushed the broken bottle in his face. He staggered away, screaming as blood dripped and ran down the hands that he had clamped to his ruined face. He crouched over, doubled in pain, before straightening and flinging a smoke bomb at Naruto. The resulting confusion ended with a coughing Naruto, tears streaming down his face, both from the smoke and the body of his lover lying at his feet, and an open window, the curtains flapping in the breeze.

"It's okay Sasuke he gone for good now," said Naruto bending down and holding Sasuke's cold hand in his own shaking appendage. Tears fell down Naruto's face as he began to choke with his own sadness.

A few hours later Naruto was dressed, the gaudy colours doing nothing for the lump in his heart. He walked towards Tsunade's office as if in a dream. He knocked on the door.

"Come in," Tsunade said in a gentle tone. Naruto walked up to her desk.

"Uchiha Sasuke is dead. He…" Naruto began to cry again, even as his eyes were dead, "he was killed by Itachi."

"Are you sure Naruto?"

"Yes I'm sure! Do you think I would say a thing like that about my best friend?" Naruto snapped slaming his hand on the desk. "Tell the others his funeral is tomorrow at noon sharp," he growled softly.

…

Temari had reached the border from the Land of Wind to the Land of Fire. _Two days left until I see Shikamaru again, _she thought to herself. She quickened her pace, and by the time Temari stopped the sun had already disappeared. Trudging along, she said to herself, alone in the wasteland, _Damn my feet hurt. One day left of it. Probably about evening when I reach the Leaf Village._

…

The next day Naruto rose from his bed and walked to the wardrobe like the regretfully living dead, and began to change into a black suit. Sakura stood outside his apartment wearing an elegant silk black dress and holding a matching handbag. She took out a handkerchief, dabbing her eyes softly so she won't mess up her eyeliner. Naruto opened his door. "Sorry for making you wait," he said with a sorrowful tone.

"It's okay Naruto," Sakura whispered rubbing his hand in a comforting gesture. "Let's go, by the time we get there it will be noon." Naruto took her arm and escort her to the cemetery were Sasuke's funeral would take place. Ino was there holding Sai's hand and crying delicately. She was wearing a short sexy black dress with an over the top hat covered in feathers and ribbons and various gaudy extravagances.

"That slut! It's a funeral." Sakura whispered harshly, annoyed.

"Please Sakura, this isn't time to fight, we are here for Sasuke." Naruto replied in a quiet, calming voice. There were a group of chairs next to the empty gaping hole where Sasuke was going to be buried, above it stood a podium. Naruto walked up to Sasuke's coffin, leaving Sakura behind to talk to the others. It had white roses all around it, and on top of the lid were the words 'Uchiha Sasuke' engraved. Tears began to fall from Naruto's eyes. Hinata came up behind him and tried to comfort him.

"I…I'm sorry Naruto, I know he was your friend," she whispered. Neji bowed to Naruto as a sign of respect. Everyone expect Naruto sat down in the folded chairs provided, instead, he went up to the podium.

"I would like to thank all of you for coming, I am sure Sasuke would be delighted at how you all care. He was a great warrior, a brilliant Ninja. Some say he was gifted. But I will always remember him as my best friend. Uchiha Sasuke, may he rest in peace." Naruto began to cry. The crowd clapped solemnly.

"That was beautiful Naruto," Sakura said to him later, "we're going to get a drink- coming?"

"Sure, just be a minute," replied Naruto. Sakura started to walk with Lee, Tenten and Ino.

Naruto stood by the grave, looking down at where the coffin now lay, "Goodbye my love. My heart will always be empty." He sighed and lay down a solitary rose.

Thank you **Squibakou, please review. **


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